


Star of the Sky

by DerpmasterG



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, College, M/M, Pining, Slow Build, Slow Burn, Slow Romance, University
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-01-14
Updated: 2017-02-16
Packaged: 2018-09-17 09:41:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 18,431
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9317123
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DerpmasterG/pseuds/DerpmasterG
Summary: "He's like, the most beautiful person I've ever seen and every time I see him I look like an utter mess- We've been living next to each other for over a year and every time we meet I either look like I ran a marathon, or a marathon ran over me.  At this point, I don't think I would even mind."In which Yamaguchi Tadashi might (totally) be whipped for a certain blond neighbor in his apartment building, but is convinced the other guy only ever sees him as a complete mess.





	1. New Beginnings

**Author's Note:**

> I've been wanting to write a slow burn fic for a long time so my goal for this year is to definitely finish this!! Warning: it will be relatively slow, mostly because I want a lot of build up and fluff that I'm sure everyone loves. More characters and their backstories etc will be added along the way :) 
> 
> This fic was based off [ this](http://aceluz.tumblr.com/post/154324891358/the-most-beautiful-man-in-the-world-who-lives-in)
> 
> inspired by [ this fic](http://archiveofourown.org/works/8518210)

Yamaguchi Tadashi has had his fair share of embarrassing moments. From peeing his pants in bed when he was a toddler, getting a ball to the face in gym during elementary, and having his face drawn on while he was sleeping in high school, Tadashi can say wholeheartedly that yes, he definitely had tons of stories to tell when asked. But out of his entire (relatively short) life, this was probably the most embarrassing moment of it all.  
  
"Need to pee, need to pee," Tadashi mumbles to himself as he waits for the elevator door to open.  Nervously, he chews on his lips as he repeatedly presses the buttons of the elevator, jumping on his toes back and forth while crossing his legs.  Earlier, he drank three cups of coffee in a size that could probably feed an entire village in order to stay awake for his morning classes, but sadly his bladder wasn't up for the challenge any longer.  
  
"Oh thank god," he sighs as the elevator rings, finally reaching the 4th floor of his building.  The doors don't fully open before Tadashi rushes out, his hands already reaching down to undo his belt. He's already experienced the near-pant-wetting experience of his buttery fingers not being able to undo his belt during a tight situation.  He reaches behind in his pocket to take out his keys, still tip-toeing down the hall towards his apartment door.  
  
Tadashi jams the keys in the keyhole with more force than probably necessary, but honestly, is very trivial compared to his insane need to pee. Just as he turns the door knob, he hears the same sound come from behind. A quick glance backwards and he sees the most-likely, most beautiful person in the entire building. From the sign next to the door on the wall, Tadashi knew his neighbor's name was Tsukishima Kei. As beautiful as he was, right now, he wasn't as beautiful as the sweet feeling of release that Tadashi was imagining as soon as he got to the bathroom.  
  
As he twists back to take one more step into the comforts of his flat, Yamaguchi Tadashi curses his clumsiness. Perhaps it was the sheer amount of force he took while spinning to face forward, or the fact that he undid his belt in advance (which he still won't admit is a bad thing to do), the science of physics decided to despise today and drag his pants down straight to the floor.  
  
The cold air conditioning of the hallway greets his legs in a not so inviting manner as his bare skin is exposed.  A light snort comes from behind as the blond puts his hand up to his chin. "Nice boxers, lover boy."  
  
Tadashi could feel his embarrassment to the very core, with every fiber of his being as the blood rushes to his entire face. He looks down at his underwear, being greeted by the red and white hearts on the fabric.  
  
"I— this— I mean, it was a present, from a friend, on Valentine's Day" he stutters out, feeling the heat on his face burn hotter the more he rambles, "gag gift— I had no laundry left and I just—" The brunet forces his legs to move as fast as possible as he takes two more steps into his apartment, effectively slamming the door behind him as he barely made it to the bathroom.

"So wait wait," Hinata breathes as he barely contains himself from laughing, "you're telling me that you flashed the guy you've been pining over for the past year?"  
  
An loud groan is the only reply that comes from across from him as Yamaguchi's head faces downward on the table. At this, the ginger bursts out in laughter once more as Yachi pats Yamaguchi on the back.  
  
"No way!! That's like, next level of flirting! You go get him!" Hinata exclaims, the big grin on his face nearly preventing him from sipping on his drink.  Yamaguchi thanks the gods that the cafe was almost too loud for anyone else to overhear their conversation.  
  
Yachi continues rubbing Yamaguchi's back as she lets out a few, cleverly subtle giggles of her own, "At least he definitely notices you now, Tadashi."  
  
Another groan comes from him as the brunet raises his head, his chin still on the table, "I didn't want him to notice me like that. I mean, I've made myself look like such an idiot during the past year at the apartment."  
  
"I wouldn't say that," Yachi reassures, although the three of them already know the truth.  
  
Yamaguchi couldn't have ruined the multiple first impressions Tsukishima Kei has probably already formed of him. On the first day he moved in, Tadashi's butter fingers has betrayed him and made him drop his entire box of toys ( _action figures_ ) and scatter them all over the hall between his and Tsukishima's apartment.  A week later, he spilled his strawberry smoothie all over his sweat-soaked tshirt after going to the gym, making him look like an even more gross, sweaty teenager when conveniently running into the blond in the elevator. Tadashi's convinced he most likely killed his neighbor's sense of smell for a week. A few months after that, he got soaked in the rain and mud while trying to make his way back from his college classes during a storm, trudging into the small hallway trailing wet footsteps right before Tsukishima opened his apartment door as well.  
  
"The guy probably thinks I'm the worst person in the world by now!" Yamaguchi melodramatically sighs, his hands running through his hair.  
  
Hinata sighs as well, his chin resting on his elbows as he comments, "Well, not the worst person in the world.. but probably the most unluckiest."  
  
With a slight pout on his lips, he grudgingly takes a sip of his latte drink. He couldn't deny that. Tadashi was convinced he was cursed as a child, and since then has always been the beacon of bad luck.  
  
"I think," Yachi taps her fingers against the table, "you should just go talk to him. You've been - what, eye-ogling him? - for the past year. It's finally time you introduce yourself, and not as the clumsy guy who always looks like a complete mess."  
  
"Thanks." he deadpans.  
  
The girl returns a cheeky smile. Hinata gives a small laugh at her comment, "Besides, at least apologize for, you know, flashing him and stuff. I'm sure he didn't appreciate that."  
  
He could already feel the heat return to his cheeks before Yachi even notices it on his face. "Orrr... _maybe he did_?" The blonde questions, the grin turning into a smirk as she nudges the boy.  
  
"Oooooh!!!!" Hinata exclaims, his eyes glowing as he stares straight at Tadashi.  
  
He only rolls his eyes as he stands up from the table, already pulling on his backpack. "If the only thing I have to do is introduce myself to this guy to get you two to stop teasing, then I'm going right now." He responds, no sense of bite in his tone. "I gotta go back to finish typing up a paper for class anyway."  
  
"Yikes," Hinata grimaces as he leans back in his chair, "good luck with that."  
  
Yachi repeats the sentiment as she gives a small wave goodbye as Tadashi heads for the door.

* * *

 

Outside, the winds are calming and warm as he takes his familiar route back to his apartment. Luckily enough, with his part time job at the book store and some of his parents' money, he had been able afford a small, one bedroom flat near his college campus.  Even if his apartment had some odd quirks, like sometimes the water would go cold or the air conditioning would break during the ass crack of summer, he was glad that he didn't have to spend his college days in the dorms like Hinata did.  
  
Tadashi peaks in a bakery shop, eyeing the plate of conveniently placed chocolate chip cookies near the window. Thinking it would be a semi-appropriate gift to his neighbor after showing his ass to him, he decides to stop in to buy a box before heading home.

* * *

 

The concept of apologizing was easy to him, really, he's done it so many times for various occasions because of his clumsiness. But somehow, he couldn't bring himself to knock on the door of impending doom in front of him with the name 'Tsukishima Kei.'  Taking a deep breath, Yamaguchi holds the box of cookies with one hand as he raises his other to finally make contact with the wood.  
  
Before his hand could even reach, the door swings open to find a very stoic looking blond looking down at him. Tsukshima's eyebrow raises as he finds an unexpected brunet with his mouth agape staring back.

"I— uh—" Tadashi starts, eyes moving from the blond's golden ones to the box of sweets in his hand, "I thought I should apologize, you know, for showing my underwear to your face.  So I saw these cookies on my way back and thought I should give it to you, and while I'm at it, sorry for that one time a year ago when I literally made a mess in the hall for my figures, and that other time in the elevator with my horrible sweat, and- just a collective _sorry_ for any time in the future too."  
  
He probably would have said more things with his horrible rambling habit, if not for being out of breath. Yamaguchi looks up at the blond, though he's not too much taller than him, as he feels his face burning under the other's scrutinizing stare.  
  
"Um." Tsukishima starts, his eyes trailing to the box in Yamaguchi's hands, "Thank..you...?" his voice trails upward like the statement is more of a question as he looks incredulously at the boy in front of him.  
  
Yamaguchi sighs as he puts out his arms to hand Tsukishima the box. Slowly, the blond accepts it as he takes it into his own. "Again, so sorry for anything I've ever done to make you uncomfortable— I swear I don't mean to, I mean of course I don't, but somehow it just happens anyway and-"  
  
"It's fine. Really." Tsukishima cuts him off, his eyes wandering to the side as he stands behind the door frame awkwardly, his body only mere inches away from Tadashi's.  
  
"Oh god, I'm so sorry!" The brunet takes a step away from the open door. "I'm Yamaguchi Tadashi. Nice to meet you, finally. Well we already met, technically, but I thought I should introduce myself properly now. Though, it probably would have been more useful a year ago." If it was socially acceptable at the moment, Tadashi's sure he would have punched himself in the face for talking so much by now. Instead, he uses his his free hand to extend for a handshake.  
  
He swears he could see the smallest of smirks pull on the other's lips, "Tsukishima Kei,"  as the blond takes his hand and shakes it," Nice to meet you too."  
  
Yamaguchi smiles back, mentally sighing of relief as he realizes the mysterious-yet-attractive looking neighbor he's lived next to for the past year isn't a complete prick. "So yeah, enjoy the cookies. They're all yours, but don't eat too much at once or you'll most likely get a stomach ache; those are a real bitch." Yamaguchi internally smacks himself for his over excessive mouth.  
  
Tsukishima clears his throat awkwardly as he looks down at the box, "I don't really like sweets."  Yamaguchi physically and mentally deflates at his comment. He opens his mouth to profusely apologize, until the blond continues on, "Keep them. It's fine, really." The taller holds out the box back, his face as stoic as ever.

The brunet gingerly takes it back, looking up at golden eyes incredulously. Did he just reject his gift? Or was it really because he didn't like baked goods? Who didn't though, honestly?

"I have to say sorry somehow! I mean, what do you like? Pizza? Coffee? Textbooks? You seem like a guy who reads a lot." Tadashi questions, his fingers already starting to fidget at the cookie box.  
  
Tsukishima raises a brow, "How do I seem like a bookworm to you?" With his deadpanned voice, Yamaguchi can't tell if it's a genuine question or if he was teasing. He decided not to take the chance.  
  
"Well, uh," he starts, his one hand trailing up to his eyes, "glasses."  
  
"Is that so? Then, I'm going to assume by your freckles that you go out in the sun a lot."

Yamaguchi backtracks at that, "What..?! You can't assume that! I'll have you know these freckles are genetic. Kind of." His hand unconsciously covers his face, both to cover his freckles and the redness on his cheeks.  
  
"You literally did the same to me." Tsukishima deadpans, though the smallest of smirks appears to be making its way to his lips.  
  
"Not the point!" Tadashi sighs, "Listen, I just want to make it up to you somehow. Obviously, cookies don't work." He looks at the box in his hand distastefully, though keeping a mental reminder to give them to Shoyou or Hitoka later. "How about we... Um... have lunch together? Tomorrow. My treat?"  
  
He could imagine Tsukishima weigh the options in his head. 1) Pretend he's busy the next day to avoid the invitation, or 2) Endure some guy's rambling for an hour maximum and get a free meal. Apparently, the latter prevails as the blond nods, "Okay."  
  
"Okay?" Yamaguchi repeats, his face probably showing his surprise at his accepted request.  
  
Tsukishima looks at him like he's grown another head, "Yes..? Unless you didn't want me to..?"  
  
"No no! Of course not! I mean, yes I wanted you to agree. I just, didn't expect it to be this easy. I could be a serial killer out to murder you, you know? You shouldn't really accept lunches with strangers like that. Not that we are— strangers, I mean—" The brunet stops there as he reaches behind his back pocket for his phone.  
  
Tsukishima only keeps his slightly amused expression on his face as he leans against his doorframe, his eyebrow still raised as he looks as the boy in front of him with a hand on his hips.  
  
Yamaguchi clicks through his phone, opening up a new contact before holding the device out for Tsukishima to take. "Could I have your number?" Thinking that question was often used as a pick up line (which, to be honest, Tadashi wouldn't mind if it was), he adds, "For tomorrow."  
  
The blond takes the device from Yamaguchi's hand and types his information in, "As long as you're not out to kill me."  
  
Yamaguchi almost chokes on his spit, letting out an nervous laugh as he makes his eyes look anywhere else but Tsukishima. He gets his phone handed back to him, while Tsukishima's eyes trail to the hallway.  
  
"I have a class in 10 minutes. So." The blond clears his throat as he readjusts his backpack straps on his shoulders.  
  
Yamaguchi takes a couple steps back, realizing how long they've been standing  there already. Jesus Christ, he came to quickly hand his neighbor a couple of cookies and probably kept him there for way longer than intended. If he misses his class, wasting at least a thousand dollars, there's no way in _hell_ Tadashi could pay and apologize for that. "Right! Yeah, sorry for keeping you." He's already backing up to his door as Tsukishima closes and locks his.  
  
"I'll text you tonight," Yamaguchi mentions, pulling out his own keys.  
  
Tsukishima only gives a hum and subtle nod in reply as he heads off down the hall.  
  
Tadashi collapses on his bed face-first after making his way into his apartment.  He lets out a muffled scream; whether it be towards himself, at God, or at the world, he doesn't know. He looks at the phone in his hand, the somehow intimidating contact information on his neighbor staring back at him.  
  
"Tsukishima Kei." He reads out loud, reveling in the fact that after a full year, he finally got his number. But, only after he basically showed his entire - fortunately covered - ass to Tsukishima.  
  
His fingers moves expertly over the screen as he brings up the group chat between him, Shoyou, and Hitoka.  
  
_I got Tsukki's number!!! (*´∇｀*)_  
  
Shoyou (1:49PM): _No way Σ（ﾟдﾟlll）_  
(1:49PM) _How?!_  
(1:49PM) _I thought you went to apologize!_  
(1:49PM) _If all my apologies went like this me and Kageyama would be married by now_  
  
Hitoka (1:53PM): _Tadashiiiii! I'm so proud! (；ω；)_  
  
(2:00PM) _I picked up some cookies right, but he said he didn't like sweets (I'm not sure if that's true or not, but I guess??)_  
(2:00PM) _so then I asked him out for lunch_  
(2:00PM) _not like, literally "will u go out with me" but more of as an apology lunch?_  
  
Shoyou (2:05PM): _uwohhhh!! （ﾟдﾟlll）smooth Tadashi, very smooth_  
_first step lunch, second step marriage!!!_  
  
(2:05PM) _(● ˃̶͈̀ロ˂̶͈́)੭⁾⁾ Shoyou!!!_  
  
Hitoka (2:07PM): _I'm happy for you! Go get him ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)_  
  
(2:10PM) _(ノ_＜)Not you too, Hitoka..._  
  
Hitoka (2:10PM): _stop texting us and text him instead!!_  
  
  
Tadashi sighs as he rolls around in bed, debating whether or not he should pretend he didn't see Hitoka's text or stop acting like a high school teenager. He opts for the second option as he types back a quick " _fine (⁎⁍̴̆Ɛ⁍̴̆⁎)_ " back to the group chat before bringing up a new, separate message.  
  
His fingers hover over the keys as he bites his lip, thinking about what would be an acceptable first text. He types out a couple words before reconsidering and deleting it, only to retype it and delete it again.  
  
"Ahhhhh, fuck it," Yamaguchi mumbles to himself as he types out a quick message and pressing send before he had the time to second guess himself.

_Hey!! Its Yamaguchi (⌒▽⌒) Text me what time is good for you tomorrow~~ Also, what type of food do you like?_

He busies himself with pointless games on his phone as he waits for a reply. He's almost to over 100 jumps in Crossy Road before his phone gives up a notification ring.  
  
Tsukishima Kei (2:20PM): _Hey. 4 is good, any type is fine._  
  
Tadashi chews his bottom lip as his fingers move to send a quick reply back.  
  
(2:21PM): _(ㆀ˘･з･˘) You have to pick something_  
  
Tsukishima Kei (2:21PM): _I said anything is fine._  
  
(2:23PM) n _o it isn't!!_  
(2:23PM) _what if we go somewhere you actually hate??_  
(2:23PM) _then we'll technically waste money bc you don't even like the food!!_  
  
Tsukishima Kei (2:25PM): _Alright, I get it, Yamaguchi. I like Chinese._  
  
(2:27PM) _╰(*´︶`*)╯ Chinese at 4 it is!!_  
(2:27PM) _See you tomorrow~~ good luck in class! Put your phone away (● ˃̶͈̀ロ˂̶͈́)੭⁾⁾_  
  
Tsukishima Kei (2:30PM): _You're the one texting me._  
  
(2:31PM) _Oops! Sorry sorry~ I'll stop now ｡ﾟ(ﾟ´ω`ﾟ)ﾟ｡_  
  
Yamaguchi clicks off his phone, watching the screen turn black to reflect his grinning face.


	2. Start of Something New

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> in which I get to add countless amounts of fluff, with an even cheesier chapter title

Within the span of 24 hours, Yamaguchi has thought of so many different possibilities that could go wrong during his and Tsukishima's lunch meet up that he thinks his head might explode.  
  
Instead of focusing on his class lecture, he was anxiously chewing on the end of his pencil (a bad habit he can't seem to get rid of since high school) and staring rather intently at the clock on the wall.  He had half an hour left in his lecture before it would be time for him to meet up with Tsukishima.  Half an hour of him coming up with increasingly disastrous ways the lunch could go.  So far he's come up getting the wrong order and sadly eating a different meal, dropping their meal all over the floor once getting it, and a spontaneous earthquake that could effectively kill them both.  
  
His intense imagining of the future was interrupted by the buzzing of his phone in his pocket. As subtly as possible, Yamaguchi slowly pulls it out and hides it underneath his desk.  
  
A text sent earlier from Hinata reads: _Good luck on your date with Tsukki ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)_  
  
Tadashi rolls his eyes as his cheeks burn from Hinata's remark. He quickly responds with, " _Not a date!!! But thanks anyway_ "  
  
The most recent text only made his face heat up more.

Tsukishima Kei (3:34PM): _Where do you want to meet?_  
  
Tadashi spares a quick glance up at his professor to make sure they were still teaching some boring PowerPoint on the history of book publishing before returning his attention back to his phone.  
  
(3:35pm) _I'm in Lecture Hall B right now, but it'd probably be easiest to meet at Hall D since the Chinese place is right at the corner!! :)_  
  
Tsukishima Kei (3:36PM): Okay.  
  
(3:38PM) See _you soon! Hope you're hungry ｡ﾟ(ﾟ´ω`ﾟ)ﾟ｡_  
  
Tsukishima Kei (3:39PM): _I am, actually. See you._  
  
Yamaguchi clicks off his phone with a satisfied grin on his face as he turns his head back up towards the presentation. He glances at the clock on the wall and decides that he could endure another 20 minutes if it slowed down his heart rate before lunch.

* * *

When Yamaguchi gets to their designated meeting spot, he sees the blond already waiting for him. Even when he seemed so relaxed sitting on a bunch scrolling through his phone, Tsukishima still felt unapproachable. Something about the stoic look on his face and the constant furrow of his brows probably drew people away. Yamaguchi wipes his palms on his jeans as he walks up to the blond, giving a subtle cough as to not startle him.  
  
"Sorry I kept you waiting," Yamaguchi sheepishly greets, his hand rubbing the back of his neck.  
  
"It's nothing, I came a bit early anyway," Tsukishima replies, putting his phone in his pocket as he stands. It's only when Tsukishima is looking down on him that he remembers how tall he actually is.  
  
Yamaguchi nods his head towards the intersection up ahead, "The place is right up here."  He starts walking when he hears a responsive hum. "I'm so hungry; I haven't eaten anything since like, morning, and my stomach was making whale calls during my last lecture."  
  
Tsukishima turns towards him, an eyebrow peaked in interest as they walk side by side.

Yamaguchi takes that as his cue to continue, "Yeah! The professor would say something boring about books and publishing and my stomach would make all these noises in response— I thought I was going to die of embarrassment or hunger, or both..!" Tadashi gesticulates with his hands as he talks, looking over at the blond every couple seconds as they make their way to the shop.  
  
Tsukshima does one of those silent laughs by breathing heavily through his nose that Yamaguchi absolutely _adores_ as he tilts his head towards the brunet, “Is that so?”  
  
Tadashi nods as his stomach does flips at the sight of a smirking Tsukishima, a small playful smile on his own lips as well.  He holds open the door once they reach the Chinese restaurant, “One of these days, I’m sure my professor will kick me out for my stomach noises.”  
  
“Truly tragic.”  
  
The man behind the counter greets them both as they come in, “Quitting college already, Yamaguchi? It’s only your second year.”  
  
The brunet grimaces at the comment, giving him sheepish grin as he responds, “Not by choice, Suga. Blame my stomach for it.”  
  
The ash blond behind the counter lets out a laugh as he brings up his notepad and pencil to prepare to write their order.  During the year that Yamaguchi has lived on campus, Sugawara Koushi has always been working at the Black Bird Nest.  Despite him saying he only worked part-time, Yamaguchi can almost 100% guarantee him and his coworker, Daichi Sawamura, can always be found in the shop at any hour of the day.  
  
“Let’s try to fix that,” Sugawara pulls out the pencil from behind his ear, “What can I get for you?”  
  
Yamaguchi looks up at the menu, despite being able to recite his order perfectly after countless meals, “I’ll have… Fried rice with chicken and broccoli.  What about you, Tsukishima?”  
  
The blond adjusts his glasses and clears his throat, “Lo mien noodles.”  
  
“Got it,” Sugawara finishes scribbling on his notepad before ripping the page out and sticking it on the rack for Daichi, “I’ll be out in a sec.”  
  
Yamaguchi gives him a small smile before turning his attention to Tsukishima, “I’ll pay real quick, can you get us a table, please?”  
  
It’s only when Tsukishima nods and goes out of the hearing distance before Sugawara leans over the counter and whispers, “Is that _the_ Tsukishima Kei you’ve been raving about for a year?”  
  
Tadashi’s face burns as he responds in a hushed voice, “Suga! Keep that on the down low, oh my god. But, yeah, it’s him.”

Through take outs of dinner on late Friday nights, Yamaguchi and Sugawara have gotten to know each other quite well the past year. The two college students (plus Daichi) somehow created a friendship through Chinese food. Occasionally, Yamaguchi would see his seniors roaming around campus and spare a couple minutes to chat.  
  
Yamaguchi sighs as he leans against the counter as well, his chin resting on the palm of his hand. "In all his blondness and glory.”  
  
Sagawara puts his hands on his hips as he spares a quick glance over at the person in question sitting at the table, waiting for his food by scrolling through his phone.  “So that’s the guy…” He brings his attention back to the boy in front of him and hits him lightly on the head with his pencil, “You’re done for, Yamaguchi. Absolutely whipped.”  
  
“Tell me about it.”  
  
“Look at the bright side.  You’ve embarrassed yourself in front of him so many times, there’s no way you can hit rock bottom.”  
  
“Hey!” Yamaguchi looks up from where he’s pulling out money from his wallet to give Sugawara a pout.  He pushes the bills across the counter, knowing all too well the prices of the meals by now. “Just because you said that, no tip.”  
  
The teasing look on Sugawara's face doesn't waver as he punches in numbers on the register. “Fine, fine. Just go to your lunch date already, your blond prince is waiting.”  
  
Tadashi's pout deepens as he turns to face the blond waiting for him at the table, “Not a date.”  
  
“You want it to be!” Sagawara calls with a laugh as Yamaguchi makes his way to the table.  The brunet could feel his face burning as he takes his seat across from Tsukishima.  
  
“You’re red.” Tsukishima comments, looking up from his phone.  He locks the screen and places it on the side of the table, turning his gaze to the brunet sitting in front of him.  
  
Yamaguchi could only feel his cheeks get hotter as he glances off to the side to avoid those precious golden eyes, “Suga likes to tease me more often than not.”  
  
“Hm.” Tsukishima blinks.  
  
The food being brought by a waiter draws their attention away from each other. Yamaguchi’s mouth practically waters as his plate is placed in front of him, his hands already reaching for his spoon and fork to eat.  
  
“Hope this tastes as good as it looks,” he comments, though already knowing the answer.  He knew it would taste just like it always does, fucking _delicious_ , but he can’t help but smile when Tsukishima replies with a brief “agreed” before the two of them dig in.

* * *

 

“So, why does a Chinese food place have a name like Black Bird Nest?” Tsukishima asks as they make their way back to their shared apartment building.  The sun had long since set after their lunch together, thanks to the winter season.  The two of them currently had their hands in each of their coat pockets to protect from the cold as they headed home with full stomachs.  
  
“Honestly, I asked him the same thing when I first ate there.  Suga and Daichi have only been working there a year, but they said that the name was made up long before them.” Yamaguchi pulls out gloves from his coat pocket and covers his cold fingers as he talks, "I think it had something to do with the competition with the other cat themed Chinese food place down the street.”  
  
Tsukishima hums with interest in reply, his own hands going up to his mouth to blow hot air in attempt to warm them. This time, the blond holds up the door for Yamaguchi as they reach the apartment building.  The brunet returns a small smile as thanks, and again when Tsukishima lets him get into the elevator first.  
  
Yamaguchi was reluctant to open his door right away as the two of them approached their shared hallway.  He lingers with his hand on the doorknob, “Thanks for today.”  
  
“For what?” Tsukishima stands in front of his door as well, his slender fingers fiddling with his keys.  
  
Yamaguchi pauses, trying to think of an appropriate response, “I dunno, for accepting my apology, I guess.  I’ve been meaning to talk to you for a while, actually."  
  
The blond blinks at him as he waits for further elaboration.  
  
Yamaguchi nearly crumbles under his gaze, “What I mean is, like, we’ve been neighbors for over a year and- it was nice to finally talk to you after so long.”  
  
“Oh.” Tsukishima adjusts his glasses and nods, “You too.”  
  
The brunet gives a sheepish grin in reply before turning to unlock his door, “See ya later, Tsukki.”  
  
The two students both stand in silence for a split second before Yamaguchi realizes. _Shit_. The brunet turns his body around so fast he swears he gave himself some version of whiplash.  
  
“I’m so sorry- you probably hate nicknames, but it just kind of slipped because your name is rather long to say, and you know we’re all really rushing for time lately, right? I’ll stop it immediately if it really bothers you, in fact if you never want to speak again, that’s completely fine with me too, no hard feelings or anything-“  
  
Tsukishima cuts the rambling with the smallest, shortest, yet most _endearing_ laugh Yamaguchi thinks he’s ever heard in his entire life. The brunet stares, dumbstruck and in awe at Tsukishima, completely forgetting his incessant rambling.  
  
“It’s fine, Yamaguchi.” The blond replies, the small laugh disappearing as soon as it had come. A playful look rests on his face as he puts a hand on his chin, “Tsukki...?”  
  
Yamaguchi makes a noise resembling a dying cat in the back of his throat.  
  
Tsukishima scoffs, the smirk still on his lips as he shrugs, “I guess it’s not so bad. It’s not the worst name someone has called me, if I am quite honest.”  
  
Yamaguchi sighs in relief, a nervous laugh coming out before he could stop it, “Another story for another day, then.”  
  
He’s halfway through closing his door before he hears the other’s quiet reply, “See you, Yamaguchi.”

* * *

Back at the Black Bird Nest, Sugawara flops down into his chair after another long day at the shop.  Daichi sits himself on the chair next to him with just as much tiredness in his bones.  He places an arm around the ash blond as he pulls the other close to his side.  
  
“Yamaguchi came by today,” Sugawara mentions after a couple minutes of silence between them.  
  
“Oh?”  
  
“With _the guy_.” Sugawara adds, a knowing smile on his lips as he nudges his boyfriend with his elbow.  
  
Daichi raises an eyebrow, curiosity clearly taking the best of him. He places his head on the smaller's shoulder, turning to look up at him through dark, long lashes, “Blond one he’s always talking about?”  
  
Sugawara nods enthusiastically as he smiles fondly at his lover.

“I give them 2 months before getting together.” Daichi rubs his chin, thinking pensively about the future of his friend’s love life.  
  
“No way. It’ll only take one month, tops.” Saguaro challenges, believing he knew his junior who came by for food every other week better than the cook who always stays behind in the kitchen.  
  
“Wanna bet?”  
  
“You’re on.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading!! Chapter updates will be slow after this, but hopefully it'll be once a week (or two weeks, depending on how kindly finals week treats me) I haven't ever written anything this lengthy before, so expect ~7 chapters total for this fic-- and of course I'm planning on adding oneshots in this AU in the future, so theres that ;)


	3. I'm Not Always Perfect, But I'm Always Myself

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> chapter title taken from "Start Again" by One OK Rock!
> 
> Thank you everyone for supporting my work so far, it means a lot to me! (●´□`)♡ This chapter turned out way longer than I initially planned, its literally as long as the first 2 chapters combined orz. But chapters after this will be about the same length!! And because of that, I won't be updating until Valentines Day (wink wonk). Hope you enjoy!

When Yamaguchi comes to lunch the next day, he’s bombarded with thousands of questions from his two best friends. He takes his usual seat across from Hinata, setting his food down on the table as the pair continues to interrogate him.

“How did the date go?”  
  
“Did you embarrass yourself in front of him again?”  
  
“Did you guys get along well?”  
  
“How much more whipped for him do you think you are?”  
  
Yamaguchi gives Hinata a look at his last question, though the other boy’s face remains unchanging. “It went good, I think.” He takes a small pause before adding, “I hope.”  
  
His two friends break into smiles, “Hey! That’s good to hear!” The ginger responds, taking a sip of his daily sports drink.  
  
Yachi nods in agreement, “What happened though?”  
  
Yamaguchi pops a french fry into his mouth as he looks up at the blonde girl with a raised eyebrow, “Nothing..?”  
  
She rolls her eyes as she puts her hand on the table, “I know you’re practically dying to tell us. Don’t be a tease, Yamaguchi.”  
  
Silence falls on the three of them as Yamaguchi stares at his two best friends, chewing on his bottom lip to hide his smile.  
  
“Okay, fine!” The brunet gives in, fixing himself in his chair to prepare to tell his story from yesterday without missing a single detail, “I was my literature class, right, and my stomach was literally trying to communicate with whales…”

* * *

  
Yamaguchi finishes his story right before Yachi and Hinata have to head off to their respective afternoon classes, with comments like “he’s totally into you” and “hey, he might not hate you after all” ending their lunch conversation.  
  
He’s busy packing up his books and papers into his bag to head back to his apartment when he sees a particular head of blond hair from the corner of his eye. Yamaguchi scrambles to get his belongings together before rushing after the person with only one strap on his shoulder and his bag half open.  
  
“Tsukki..!” Tadashi calls, stumbling up to the taller to walk side by side.  
  
Tsukishima turns to him, nodding in his direction, “Hey, Yamaguchi.”  
  
Tsukishima’s all wrapped up in his coat, gloves, and hat, looking ready to face the cold outside of the cafeteria hall. He holds one strap of his backpack with one hand, while the other stays hidden in his pocket.  
  
“Where are you headed now?” Yamaguchi asks conversationally as he slips on both straps of his own backpack.  He’s sporting a stuffed marshmallow look of his own, with his heavy winter coat, hat, and scarf.  
  
“Home,” Tsukishima responds, “I don’t have any afternoon lectures today.”  
  
“Me neither, thank god.” Yamaguchi silently rejoices at the sync up of their schedule, “Mind if I walk with you?”  
  
Tsukishima makes a noise at the back of his throat as he lightly nods his head. The two of them grimace when they get greeted by the cold when stepping outside the building.  Yamaguchi fully zips up his coat as a shiver runs through him, mentally cursing at the harsh winter winds.  
  
The pair walk side by side in comfortable silence on the way back to their shared apartment building. It was only when Yamaguchi had a sudden realization that he spoke up, “Oh!”  
  
Tsukishima turns to him, a look of slight curiosity in his eyes as he waits for Yamaguchi to continue.  
  
“The Flash is showing on TV today,” Yamaguchi’s eyes practically light up as he remembers. He’s been watching every week since a year ago when he had stumbled across the show while channel surfing.  Ever since he was little, he had been in love with the concepts of superheroes.  A person who had special powers - or an abundant amount of money to make things to give them powers - that had the heart and ability to help others in need.  
  
Tsukishima hums, “Yeah, at seven.”  
  
Yamaguchi whips his head to look at the blond, his eyes wide, “How'd you know?”  
  
He swears he can see the slightest shade of pink appear on Tsukishima’s cheeks as the blond looks off to the side, “I might watch it as well.”  
  
If Yamaguchi wasn’t already completely over the moon for Tsukishima, he definitely was now. “Really..?! Who’s your favorite?”  
  
Tsukishima practically squirms under the sudden intense look of Yamaguchi as he avoids contact with wide brown eyes, “The engineer..”  
  
“Ah, he’s so cool, always creating new things for the Flash to use. If I was that smart, I would totally want to do that, though being the one out on the field sounds cool, I don’t think I would want to be fighting villains face to face. But The Flash is still my favorite, because I guess I admire the kind of bravery he has-“ He stops mid-ramble when the side of Tsukishima’s lips quirks up into the tiniest of smiles, and Yamaguchi thinks his heart stopped. He hides his red flushed face with his hand by nervously coughing into it, his eyes averting to the side to avoid eye contact as well.  
  
The two walk in silence for a couple beats before the brunet speaks up again, shyly looking at the taller blond through long dark lashes. “Do you… want to watch it together tonight?”  
  
The raised-eyebrow look Tsukishima sports (which, Tadashi finds out is Tsukishima’s trademark and he absolutely _adores_ it) sends the brunet into a slight nervous panic as he continues, “You don’t have to, but, yanno, I thought it would be nice..” The words die out in his mouth the longer the other boy stays silent, staring at him with intense golden eyes.  
  
Tsukishima pushes his black frames falling from his nose with his finger and nods, “Sure.”  
  
Tadashi swears he sees another, small trace of a smile on the his lips. He pulls up the scarf from around his neck over his cheeks as well, covering red cheeks of his own.

* * *

“That,” Yamaguchi starts, chewing on a piece of the best pizza that would deliver on a Tuesday night on a college campus, “was amazing.”  
  
On the TV screen, the red-suited hero speeds between two villains, creating a tornado to trap the criminals. The Flash strikes them both with lightning and comes to a stop as the two metahumans fall defeatedly to the ground.  The pair of college students had both gone back to their respective apartments after walking back together, then proceeded to do homework (that’s what they said, at least. Tadashi knows he definitely didn’t follow through) before meeting back at Yamaguchi’s apartment.  
  
The brunet was in a frenzy trying to clean up the pig den that was his home before his guest came over.  Luckily, everything that was scattered across the floor piled up neatly on the floor of his closet.  The pair had sat themselves on Yamaguchi’s couch promptly at 7PM, ready and eager to start the show.  
  
Tsukishima swallows, covering his mouthful of pizza as well with the back of his hand, “I think you mean ridiculous.”  
  
“What do you mean..?!” Tadashi points his slice of pizza at the screen, the food sagging lamely midair, “He totally just beat those two guys up in like, 3 seconds.”  
  
“It’s entirely impossible that he struck both of them with one lightning bolt.” Tsukishima places his half eaten slice on a plate resting in the middle of Yamaguchi’s coffee table. He huffs as he falls back onto the couch, his knee lightly hitting the other’s without his notice, “Trust me, I’m a physics major.”  
  
Yamaguchi rolls his eyes, the playful look on his face never once wavering as he nudged his knee back, “Alright, if you say so. But, you can’t deny that was pretty fucking cool of the Flash.”  
  
Tsukishima hums, his head tilting back and forth as he debates the thought in his head, “Yeah, just a bit.”  
  
Yamaguchi basks in the feeling of being right, with both boy’s attention being drawn back to the TV where the Flash was now interrogating the criminals.  A few scenes passed with them sitting in comfortable silence before Tsukishima spoke up, “So…”  
  
Yamaguchi slightly turns his head, his eyes still on the screen. “Hm?”  
  
“You said you major in literature earlier, right?”  
  
Yamaguchi recalls him complaining about his professor the other day and nodded.  
  
“What made you decide on that?”  
  
The question took Yamaguchi off guard, not because it was surprising, but because of the mere fact that Tsukishima was the one initiating conversation for the first time since he could remember.  
  
The brunet hums, tapping on his chin to gather his thoughts, “I guess I’ve always been fond with books and reading, and superheroes of course,” he added, “I like how some fictional works can bring you away from the real world. It’s like, taking a break from life, and I think everyone needs to do that every once in a while, you know?”  
  
Yamaguchi was greeted with earnest, golden eyes staring back at him once he looked at the blond. He gulped, wondering if his thoughts seemed like some fake bullshit made up in two seconds.  
  
“Thats…” Tsukishima furrowed his brows in concentration while staring down at the couch. When his head turned back up to look at Yamaguchi, his eyes had blown wide, and Yamaguchi thinks it’s the most beautiful look on Tsukishima he’s ever seen. “..really admirable.”  
  
Yamaguchi gives him a sheepish smile, rubbing the back of his head, “You think so? Most people feel that way when they’re kids, the whole fantasy world thing, I mean. But they usually grow out of that book-loving phase. I guess that didn’t quite happen with me yet,” he gives out a small laugh before aiming the question at Tsukishima, “What about you?  Why’d you choose physics?”  
  
The blond sunk deeper into the seat, sighing as he cards his fingers through his hair, “Honestly, I didn’t know what I wanted to do with my life back in high school, so I went with the subject with my highest grade.” The serious look returned to his face as he talked more, “I wish I had the same kind of passion you did.”  
  
Yamaguchi stayed silent, slowly nodding as sign for Tsukishima to continue.  
  
"I don’t feel anything when it comes to my major. But, the one reason I chose this school was because you don’t have to decide on what you want to do with the rest of your life until the end of sophomore year, so really I have until summer to pick.”  
  
Yamaguchi makes a noise of agreement, picking at the hem of his shirt in silence. Before, he was scared the blond quite literally hated him with every being in his body after all the embarrassing moments over the past year, but now he felt somewhat more content.  Turns out Tsukishima didn’t hate him after all, if coming over his flat for over an hour and eating dinner together was any sign.  Most of all, he was thrilled that the other boy would speak so many words when Yamaguchi thought he only used a maximum of three to talk to anyone ever.  Perhaps Tsukishima had more sides and emotions to him than the stoic, attractive looking neighbor.  
  
The sudden blaring music playing on the screen as the credits rolled jolted the pair out of their thoughts, the two of them jumping in their seats on the couch. “Sorry, that got oddly deep.” Tsukishima pushed his glasses up, wiping his hands on his pants as he made a move to stand. “I have a couple more equations to finish for my lab due tomorrow.”  
  
Yamaguchi already feels his heart sinking at the lost of Tsukishima’s company. He nodded anyway, getting up from the safe comforts of his couch as well. “Yeah, totally.”  Looking at their half eaten pie of pizza on his table, he gives Tsukishima a sheepish smile, “Take a few slices back with you?”  
  
Tsukishima gives the small upwards pull of his lips, “Yeah, thanks.”

* * *

  
In all his life, Yamaguchi’s never been more grateful for the fact that he had no afternoon classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays. It was either fate, destiny, or the mercy of his scheduling administrator that his lectures matched up with Tsukishima’s on said days.  This allowed him to join the blond on walks home together back to their apartment complex, which resulted in more time for him to get to know the other, therefore more time for Yamaguchi to fall deeper into the pit of pining for a particular boy.  
  
The two have been walking home together on Tuesdays and Thursdays ever since their little superhero-show-viewing two weeks ago, which by the way, Yamaguchi still smiles about from time to time as he thinks about it.  Unfortunately, the show took a mid-season break since then, so Yamaguchi hasn’t gotten the chance to invite the other over.  He’s considered making up random excuses to spend more time with Tsukishima, but the tall pile of books and stacks of paper Tsukishima carries home in his hands everyday makes him think otherwise.  
  
“You seem to carry more and more things every time I see you,” Yamaguchi comments one day, the pile in Tsukishima’s arms nearing 2 feet at this point. This time of year was a struggle for all college students, and currently they were smack in the middle of stress week. Yamaguchi could feel the impending doom of his two, 20 page midterm papers due soon but pushes it far, far back in his mind.  
  
The blond only sighs tiredly, the bags under his eyes growing deeper every day. “The grim reaper would be doing me a favor if he took me to Hell right now. It would be better than here, anyway.”  
  
Yamaguchi agrees wholeheartedly as he returns the sigh, the heavy literature textbooks in his backpack weighing him down less than life right now.  
  
The pair exchange looks of sympathy as they part ways in the middle of the hallway, both solemnly closing their door to prepare for hours of studying before exams.

* * *

Tsukki~ (5:45PM):  _Somehow, the engineer in The Flash made physics seem much enjoyable than it is._  
  
(5:48PM) _ahh I’m sure thats not true, you must be having tons of fun learning about… things_  
  
Tsukki~ (5:50PM): _Debatable._  
  
(6:00PM): _what are you learning about this time??_  
  
Tsukki~ (6:03PM): _Momentum and impulse._  
  
(6:05PM): _so like, if you get the sudden IMPULSE and become motivated to study, then you can keep that MOMENTUM and keep going, right!!_ (☞ ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)☞  
  
Tsukki~ (6:07PM): _Ugh._  
(6:07PM): _That was bad._  
  
(6:08PM): _sorry, sorry~_

* * *

If Yamaguchi said he felt horrible the week before, he feels like 3 trucks and an elephant ran over him multiple times in a row now.  Lately, the college sophmore lunch trio have been silent during their hour breaks in the cafe, the three of them cramming all the knowledge they could within 60 minutes for their midterms.  
  
Yacht accidentally grabbed Hinata’s arm while trying to reach for her third coffee that day, while the ginger only responded with a world history fact about how the Chinese made up the moveable type, and it was not in fact, that German inventor everyone usually thinks of first.  
  
Yamaguchi tiredly smiles to himself remembering the whole incident, puling his scarf closer to his face as the wind blew harshly against his skin.  Tsukishima had failed to show up for their walks home together lately, giving the brunet time to himself as he took the familiar path back to his apartmen.  Not that Tadashi minded, he knew he was one of the busiest college students on campus besides the pre-med majors, but he felt lonely walking home alone after a couple weeks of walking with a companion.  
  
He pulls out his phone to text the blond, their texts becoming regular now.  
  
(3:04PM) _studying at the library again?_ ( ˘･з･)  
  
Yamaguchi had already gotten back home, settled in his bed with pajama pants for the night and gotten his laptop out to begin writing when he got a text back.  
  
Tsukki~ (3:30PM): _Yeah. Working on circular centripetal force._  
(3:30PM): _I feel like death._  
  
Yamaguchi smiles at his screen, not knowing a clue on whatever physics term Tsukishima just threw at him, but knowing it was probably something he wouldn’t understand anyway.  
  
(3:34PM): _you can do it tsukki!!!_ (ง •̀ω•́)ง✧  
(3:34PM): _don’t study too hard tho, make sure you get some rest and sleep!!_  
(3:35PM): _i can’t rlly help, but if you need moral support and motivation you know who to text_ (ღ˘⌣˘ღ)  
  
Tsukki~ (3:40PM): _I know, thanks Yamaguchi._

* * *

Yamaguchi realizes too late he ordered a severe excess of food once his dinner arrives with a delivery boy who looked like he ran a marathon carrying his 3 bags of take-out.  
  
“Your elevator isn’t working, if you haven’t noticed.” The delivery boy wheezed, and Yamaguchi swears he sees a light layer of sweat forming on his forehead.  
  
He gives the other a sheepish look as he gingerly takes the bags from him. “Yeah, it broke down a couple days ago. Sorry,” Quickly glancing at the name tag clipped to his shirt, "Nishinoya.”  
  
The shorter boy huffed, putting his hands on his hips. “Nothing a man can’t handle.” He pulls out the receipt of the order from his pocket, scanning over all the items and looking at the bags of food on the floor. “Are you feeding a small village or something?”  
  
Yamaguchi lets out a laugh as he takes out a couple bills from his wallet, making sure to give the delivery boy a generous tip before handing the money over. “I overestimated my own stomach.”  
  
The short boy gave him a hearty laugh, “If you need anyone to help you eat it, you know where I work.” He gave him a curt wave before walking back down the hall. Yamaguchi could hear the loud sigh from his door, then the sound of tired footsteps walking down the 4 flights of stairs.  His heart goes out to Nishinoya, really.  
  
Once unpacking the overload of Chinese food and laying it out across his kitchen counter, Yamaguchi inwardly reprimands himself for ordering twice as much as he can eat _yet again_. He would invite his two best friends over, but it was close to 11PM and he doubted Yachi and Hinata would be too keen on walking through the dark streets of campus.  
  
He brightens up when thinks of the perfect person, picking up his phone on the kitchen counter and typing out a quick text.  
  
(10:53PM): _sooo i bought way too much food that just got delivered_ つ´Д`)つ  
(10:53PM): _are you up for a midnight dinner??_  
  
Yamaguchi’s just about given up hope of anyone joining him for his nearly-midnight meal and was about to dig in to his village's worth of food when his phone pings with a notification.  
  
Tsukki~ (11:05PM): _If you’ll have me._  
  
(11:06PM): _come on over!!_ ۹(˒௰˓)۶  
  
Yamaguchi’s already heading for the door, opening it to see the blond in his sweatpants and t-shirt exiting his own apartment.  Yamaguchi closes the door behind them as quietly as he could, leading Tsukishima to the various cartons of food lying on the table.  
  
“Jesus christ, Yamaguchi.”  
  
“Don’t talk about it! It just.. happened.” Yamaguchi brings out plates for the both of them, handing one to Tsukishima as he starts piling rice and meat onto his own.  
  
The blond scoffs, shaking his head and reaching for a pair of chopsticks for his lo mien.  His stomach growls, the sound radiating throughout the otherwise quiet household.  Yamaguchi could feel Tsukishima’s embarrassment before he sees it, the red dusting the other’s usual pale cheeks.  
  
“Seems like you don’t quite mind the overflow of food, though” Yamaguchi snickers, taking his respective seat in the couch in front of the TV.  
  
“Shut up, Yamaguchi.” Tsukishima sits himself down next to the brunet, his gaze not meeting the other’s as he slurps on his noodles with a pout.  
  
“Sorry, Tsukki~” Yamaguchi chimes, hiding his smile with a much-deserved spoonful of fried rice.

* * *

  
He takes back not minding Tsukishima staying after lectures to study in the library.  It’s gotten past the point of Yamaguchi feeling lonely on his walks home, but rather him stressing about the welfare and health of his friend.  Swamped with work, the entire college campus was a wasteland full of zombie-looking students who haven’t slept in days.  
  
Yamaguchi couldn’t deny the fact that he fit into the crowd as well, with his 3-day-old sweatpants and 10th cup of coffee of the week in his hands.  Despite what his deteriorating appearance looked like though, he was ten times more worried for Tsukishima, who looked like the embodiment of death itself whenever the two got a glimpse of each other passing in the halls.  
  
He sends a concerned text one night when he hasn’t seen Tsukishima for 3 days straight after their midnight dinner together. While eating that night, Tsukishima had confessed that he’s been cramming for physics every day for multiple hours, so much so that he barely had any food or sleep in his system for god knows how long.  
  
(11:40PM): _hey i hope i’m not bothering your studying, but i was just making sure you’re like, still alive??_  
  
Yamaguchi sinks into the warm comforts of his bed, desperately trying to focus on editing paper and ignoring the burn of his sleep-deprived eyes before a ding from his phone pulls him away from his work.  
  
Tsukki~(12:00PM): _Still breathing, if thats what you mean._  
(12:02AM): _My brain would like to say otherwise._  
(12:02AM): _I feel like it’s melting._  
  
Yamaguchi feels like he’s never agreed with a statement so wholeheartedly before in his life. The heavy weight of his eyelids fought him as he typed out a message back.  
  
(12:05AM): _i feel 1000%_  
(12:06AM): _life is hitting us hard right now, tsukki_  
  
Tsukki~ (12:20AM): could u… come over?  
  
The sleepiness that was threatening to pull him into deep sleep disappeared entirely when he saw the message on his phone. He could feel his blood run cold before he even got up on his feet, pulled on a hoodie and headed for the door.  After weeks of messaging back and forth, Yamaguchi knew better than to accept the fact that Tsukishima Kei, of all people, would text improperly.  
  
The brunet is already across the hall and at his friend’s door not a minute later, knocking as he anxiously waited for it to open. It feels like an eternity before a blond comes into his view. Yamaguchi could feel his heart drop at the sight of the hollow body that was his friend.  
  
“Oh _Tsukki_ ,” Yamaguchi sighed, taking in the sight of Tsukishima.  The blond had deeper eye bags than anyone Yamaguchi’s ever seen in his life. His cheekbones were so prominently sticking out due to lack of food breaks, his hair sticking up in more odd places than normal, and most of all, his eyes were nearly devoid of any life or emotion despite the brimming tears threatening to overflow any second.  
  
Without waiting for permission, Yamaguchi entered the home, pulling Tsukishima in with him by the hand and closing the door behind them.  Despite not having ever been in Tsukishima’s apartment, it was fairly easy to navigate around due to the lack of excessive furniture.  Yamaguchi brought them to the couch against the wall and sat down, tugging the blond along.

  
The lifeless-looking boy complied to his directions, looking like he was about to collapse any minute. Yamaguchi could see the pile of books, all opened and sticky noted, across the table in front of them.  Just the sight of them made Yamaguchi want to vomit, so he pulled on Tsukishima’s hand to bring his attention away from the books as well.  
  
The brunet stared into the dull, golden eyes that he usually found so alluring. His heart clenched at the even more stoic facial expression that stared back at him.  “How have…” His eyebrows laced with concern as he squeezed the blond’s hands, “Are you okay?”  
  
Something inside Tsukishima breaks as Yamaguchi says this.  Tears flow down his cheeks silently as Yamaguchi witnesses the break down of the poised, always calm and collected Tsukishima Kei.  Tsukishima puts his forehead against Yamaguchi’s shoulder as he lets out a few broken sobs, his entire body shaking.  
  
Yamaguchi could feel his own heart breaking as well, patting the other on the back and rubbing it in slow, soothing motions.  “Tsukki…”  
  
He could feel Tsukishima’s back shudder the more he cried, his breaths getting more erratic. Sobs turned into gasps for air as Tsukishima’s breathing became more labored, and Yamaguchi pulled back to take a look at his friend.  
  
“Hey hey,” the brunet held Tsukishima’s face with his hands on either side of his cheeks, his thumb brushing over the trail of tears along pale skin, “It’s okay. I’m right here.”  
  
The panicked, helpless look reflected in golden eyes was a sight Yamaguchi never wanted to see again. His friend didn’t deserve this, not one bit.  
  
“Breathe with me,” Yamaguchi instructed, inhaling and exhaling with long drawn out breaths.  Tsukishima waited a few moments before mirroring the brunet’s actions with shaking shoulders. “I’m right here.” he repeated in a soft tone, his thumbs still tracing back and forth on Tsukishima’s cheeks.  
  
He wasn’t sure how long they had stayed there for, but eventually the blond slowed his breathing and his body became limp against Yamaguchi’s.  He could only continue to rub Tukishima’s back as he heard the sound of sniffles behind his shoulder. Silence enveloped them for what seemed like ages before Tsukishima pulled back, wiping his eyes and letting out a deep, exhausted sigh as he leaned back against the couch.  
  
Yamaguchi’s face must have resembled a look of great concern, because Tsukishima speaks up as soon as he gets a good look at his friend, “You look horrible.”  
  
Tadashi lets out a tired laugh, leaning back with the side of his face pressed against the seat, “So do you.”  
  
“That’s fair.”  
  
Yamaguchi bites his lip in worry, his shy fingers fiddling with Tsukishima’s. “Do you.. want to talk about it?”  
  
Tsukishima makes a noise in the back of his throat and squeezes his hand. Yamaguchi doesn’t press the topic and sits there for a while with his head down, knowing sometimes it’s enough to have someone just physically _there_ during times like these. His eyes trail around the apartment, taking in the furniture and picture frames lining the walls. Within the dimly lit area, he couldn’t quite see the entire living area, but by squinting he could make out that none of pictures were of people. Belatedly, he notices that Tsukishima took a minimalist view when decorating.  Besides the pictures on the walls, the only other furniture in the living area was tables and chairs set out for dining, a TV set, and the couch they were sitting on.  
  
“I dropped out.”  
  
Yamaguchi turned his head towards the blond, “What?”  
  
Tsukishima took a shaky breath, pausing for a few seconds to gather his thoughts. “I dropped my major.”  
  
Yamaguchi stayed silent, his intense gaze and attention unwavering as he stared at the boy in front of him.  
  
“I told you I didn’t have any passion for physics at all, and before, I could handle that. But these past two weeks have been utter _hell._ I hate the subject with every fiber in my being, and I don’t think I can continue with two more years of this.” Tsukishima’s eyes gives out a signal of distress as he stares at Yamaguchi, his face etched with helplessness. “What am I going to do with the rest of my life?”  
  
Yamaguchi gives another silent hand squeeze, trying his best to think of the right words to say. He had dealt with this problem way back in high school, though on a much smaller scale. He couldn’t imagine the stress the blond was under, especially with a subject as rigorous as physics.  
  
“You don’t have to figure it out right now. I know it’s hard, but you have a long way to go until summer.” Yamaguchi reassures, “Life doesn’t always go as planned, and that’s okay.”  
  
“My parents, my family, everyone-“  
  
“No.” Yamaguchi firmly replies, his eyes narrowing with determination, “What matters most is you. _You’re_ the one who will live with the job that you chose as your college major, not your family or anyone else.”  
  
Tsukishima sighs, his fingers going limp in Yamaguchi’s firm grasp as he stays silent.  
  
“It’s okay if you choose another subject to pursue. It happens all the time.”  
  
The blond in front of him blinks back, his eyelids becoming heavy, if his red eyes and dark eye circles were any indication. “I feel like my life just fell apart. For the past two years, I’ve been aiming for a scientist. But now, I don’t know what to do. Where do I even start?”  
  
Yamaguchi reassures, “There’s tons of different classes you can take. We can look at all the courses offered here, and see which one interests you. If none do, then you can even transfer to another college.”  The last option made Yamaguchi’s heart break, thinking he would barely (if ever) see his neighbor-for-a-year again.  
  
Tsukishima mumbles, “Tomorrow. m’tired.” as he closes his eyes, half tempted to fall asleep sitting up against the sofa.  Yamaguchi pulls on his hand before he gets the chance to drift off, standing up and tugging him towards the open-doored room that he could only assume was Tsukishima’s bedroom.  
  
The blond wordlessly follows, nearly collapsing on the bed and pulling the brunet down with him. Yamaguchi was a bundle of nerves as he lay in bed next to Tsukishima, his face burning hotter every passing second.  
  
“Tsukki..,” he stares up at the other, pale skin only being seen in the blue moonlight seeping through the window curtains. “Wh-what are you…?”  
  
Tsukishima stares down at him with tired, yet intense eyes. “It’s late," Despite it being a whisper, Yamaguchi could hear it as clear as ever in the silent apartment. “Stay over?"  
  
The brunet voicelessly agrees, already pulling the other close in the small bed. It seems like the stress the two college students have been under the past weeks have sucked out all the energy in their bodies. The burning feeling in their eyes finally stopped as their eyelids drooped.  With Yamaguchi’s arm wrapped around Tsukishima’s waist and his head tucked neatly under Tsukishima’s chin, the pair fell into a much-needed sleep together, with only the sounds of soft breaths being heard in the apartment.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel like lots of people are going through what Tsukki's going through at this point, especially for students bc midterms/finals/the entire month of january is entirely stressful. Thank you so much for reading!


	4. Constellations Forming (Valentines Day Special)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this was supposed to be posted 2 days ago for valentines day, dont sue me-- but thank you guys so much for supporting my writing!! I appreciate it so much, and I hope this chapter is the best one yet :,) (it's already the longest, lol)

Yamaguchi is definitely not a morning person. He knows this, and yet, he comes to the harsh realization of how true it is when Tsukishima's alarm rings obnoxiously throughout the silent apartment at what he assumes is the crack of dawn.  He wonders if Tsukishima isn't a morning person either, if the phone's rings can be heard from the bedroom when Yamaguchi remembers it was discarded on the couch in the living room last night.

"Tsukki," Yamaguchi groans, squeezing his eyes tighter as if that will lull him back to the sleep he was so rudely interrupted from.

The boy next to him only gives a groan in reply as his arms tighten around Yamaguchi. "Mmmmm.."

If Tadashi was feeling sleepy before, he definitely wasn't now.

His eyes snap open, as if just realizing where he was. The brunet stared wide-eyed up at the person whose arms were currently wrapped around him. Yamaguchi was so close, he can see every pore and every spec of Tsukishima's beautiful face.  He could feel Tsukishima's soft breaths as blond lashes flutter open, hazy golden eyes blinking at him.

The blood rushes entirely to Yamaguchi's face, and possibly to other lower regions, as he stares helplessly back, trapped in Tsukishima's arms. "Your alarm..." he offers in a whisper.

Tsukishima blinks at him for a couple moments, seeming to get his early morning thoughts together before unwrapping his slender arms around the other. He's extremely slow in waking up, taking his time to stretch and stare up at the ceiling for a second or two before turning over to Yamaguchi again.

The alarm outside the room finally silences itself, apparently going to snooze at the lack of being turned off. At this, the brunet gladly sits up, stretches his arms in the air and runs his fingers through his (probably) horrific bedhead hair.

"Ah," Tsukishima blinks, finally coming to his senses. Yamaguchi confirms his earlier theory; Tsukki definitely wasn't a morning person either. The older clears his throat, the lightest tint of pink dusting his cheeks as he avoids eye contact with Yamaguchi, "I'm sorry."

When Yamaguchi stays silent, he continues.

"For last night." Tsukishima clarifies, reaching over to the night stand on his bedside table for his black frames.

"You have nothing to apologize for." Yamaguchi's serious tone so early in the morning sends Tsukishima to high alert, his gaze quickly turning back to the brunet. "Deciding on a major is a huge decision in your life, anyone would stress about it. Especially if you're in such a rigorous major like Physics."

Tsukishima makes a noise at the back of his throat, eyes cast downward and fingers clenched around a handful of white sheets.

Yamaguchi timidly reaches forward, cautiously unraveling pale, slender fingers and taking them into his hand. "Besides," he starts, already feeling his heart beating faster under the gaze of intense golden eyes, "that's what friends are for, right?" He offers a shy smile, looking at Tsukishima through his lashes as he gives the other's cold hand a reassuring squeeze.

Tsukishima softens, his body sagging as he breathes out a quiet sigh, giving a small squeeze back and a quick nod.

Tadashi catches a glimpse of the clock behind the blond, its red numbers giving him a harsh reality check. "Shit!" The brunet scurries out of bed, the cold of the apartment drawing goosebumps from his skin as he rubs his arms in attempt to warm them, "I'm so late for class."

He's about to exit the front door before he gives one last glance at the blond, giving him a timid smile, "Stay home for the day. Take care of yourself, please."

Yamaguchi let out a sigh of relief as he tilted his head upward to look at the sky. Winter was just as depressing and draining as ever, but the pressure on his chest lightened after handing in his midterm paper to his professor. He sighs again, just for the sake of it, while stuffing his hands in his coat pockets.

Yamaguchi was on his daily walk home, without his special blond companion yet again. This time though, he felt better knowing that Tsukishima was resting at home rather than stressing in the library. He bit his lip in thought as his fingers drummed against his phone screen in his pocket.

Contemplating on whether he should send out a text, he decides to push down his needless worrying and act on it before it gets the best of him.

(2:30PM): _Tsukki!! Hope you're up by now （＾ω＾）Did you eat lunch yet?_

The reply was almost instant. Yamaguchi raised his eyebrows in surprise.

Tsukki~ (2:30PM): _Of course I'm up. It's afternoon.  Didn't eat lunch yet, been looking at the school website all day._

(2:31PM): _(ㆀ˘･з･˘) Don't stress yourself out again!!  I haven’t had anything yet either, do you wanna eat together??_

Tsukki~ (2:32PM): _Sure. Where do you want to eat?_

Yamaguchi ponders this for a moment, tapping his phone against his chin as he looks around the campus. On this particularly cold day, his stomach was telling him to eat something warm.

(2:35PM): _Cafe down on 14th street sound okay with you?? (｀・∀・´) rlly nice soupsthere~_

Tsukki~ (2:36PM): _Okay._

(2:37PM): _meet you there!! (๑˃̵ᴗ˂̵)_

Tsukki~ (2:40PM): _See you._

* * *

 

True to his word, 15 minutes later Tadashi was happily slurping down chicken noodle soup, comfortable and happy within the comforts of the cafe.  Across from him was Tsukishima, who was chewing gingerly on his ham and cheese sandwich.  Although he didn't look particularly overjoyed at the food, Yamaguchi felt some relief at the absence of dark circles under the blond's eyes.

"You should've gotten soup, Tsukki." Yamaguchi's eyes met with the others as he slurped soup from his spoon, probably louder than socially acceptable but enough to emphasize his point.

Yamaguchi snickers to himself once he gets a huff as a response, grateful that he decided to eat something to warm his stomach on such a cold day.

"At least I'm eating my food quietly." Tsukishima lifts up an eyebrow at Yamaguchi, the smirk on his face widening as the brunet's cheeks flush in embarrassment.

Yamaguchi quickly bounces back, "You're just jealous."

Tsukishima seems to accept that fact and hums, taking another bite of his sandwich. True, soup would definitely be a benefit today, but Yamaguchi feels better knowing Tsukishima's ham-and-cheese would fill him up more than noodles.

The brunet furrows his brows, worry coming back onto his face as he mulls over the well being of his friend. Was he getting enough sleep? Did he eat well? Who knows what Tsukishima put aside in exchange for his impeccable grades in his studies. Now that Physics wasn't in the equation of stress anymore, Yamaguchi wonders if the blond has found some other source of discomfort, or if he's survived like any other normal college student.

"Tsukki."

"Hm?"

"Did you find a major you like yet?"

Tsukishima blinks, staring at the boy in front of him as he chews. Ever so slowly, he swallows, clears his throat, and adjusts his black frames perched on his nose.

Yamaguchi feels like ages pass by before the blond speaks up, "Yeah."

The brunet straightens in his seat. When he stays silent, Tsukishima takes the cue to continue.

"I'm thinking of Photography." Tsukishima looks pensively down at the table, staring at nothing in particular. The concentrated look on his face kept Yamaguchi from opening his mouth, but a light smile formed on the brunet's lips.

After waiting for a couple moments, he spoke up. "That sounds like it would be fun.”  He flashes the other a grin, praying to any and all gods out there that his fondness for the other boy would go unnoticed.

* * *

 

It’s during times like these Tadashi wonders why he ever agreed to join in on study sessions with his friends at the library.  If study sessions meant kicking each other’s feet under the table repeatedly and bickering loud enough to nearly get kicked out, Yamaguchi was sure Hinata and Kageyama would be pros by now.

“You’re such a nerd, Tobio,” Hinata teases, leaning his shoulder against the taller boy’s as he drums his fingers on the table. “Who files their nails just for volleyball?”

“You’re the dumbass,” Kageyama replies with a light shove back, shaking off the ginger with a huff. “It helps me set better. There’s less distance between your fingers and ball. Any idiot would know that, but I guess you’re worse than that.”

“Hey..!” Hinata pouts, sinking into the hard wooden chairs of the library as he buries himself in his hoodie.  Across from them, Tadashi stares helplessly at the pair, exasperation apparent on his face.

“I'm going to personally kick you both if you don't get to studying within the next 2 minutes.” Yachi quips, not sparing either boy a glance as her eyes stay trained on the words in the open textbook in front of her.

Hinata straightens up in his seat, ready to defend himself before he spots a blond head of hair behind Yamaguchi. “Isn’t that Tsukishima?” The brunet practically gives himself whiplash as he turns his head, his eyes immediately landing on the other’s tall frame.

“Tsukki..!” Yamaguchi calls, albeit quietly with consideration of their surroundings (unlike some people).  Golden eyes meet brown, and Tsukishima slowly makes his way towards his friend, cautiously eyeing the three other people seated next to him.

“Hey,” Tsukishima greets, giving a small head nod towards the others when they look up at him.  Tsukishima wasn’t sure if their gazes were meant to be scrutinizing, but the way Yachi looked at him with furrowed brows and her lips pressed into a thin line made him glance away.

“Are you studying again?” Yamaguchi doesn’t miss the sight of multiple books in Tsukishima’s arms. “You know, you overwork yourself way too often.”

The blond shrugs, “Maybe.” He pauses for a moment, his thumbs fiddling with the edges of a packet in his arms. Tsukishima does a quick glance over the other three at the table before meeting his eyes back with Yamaguchi, “Do you mind talking with me for a moment?”

The brunet does a double take, his eyes widening at the surprise of Tsukishima wanting to initiate more conversation. Perhaps he’s getting through the blond after all. Suddenly, sticking through the volleyball duo's antics didn't seem that bad. “Sure!” Yamaguchi gives a small smile, “What’s up?”

It wasn't until another few awkward moments of silence passed between the collective four that Tsukishima cleared his throat, mumbling “I meant in private. Unless I’m interrupting the little amount of studying you guys seem to be doing…?”

Yamaguchi lets out a small laugh at the truthfulness of his words, shaking his head. “Tell me about it."

Hinata and Kageyama both open their mouths, ready to start another argument before Yachi hisses at them. Yamaguchi could only hear the painfully-sounding kick of leg under the table.  Hinata’s yelp, however, was loud enough for the entire half of the library to turn their attention to their table.

“Ow! Hitoka, what the hell-“

“We gotta go.” The blonde girl replied, already packing up her study materials.  In a practiced manner, she stuffs her textbook and multiple highlighter pens into her backpack. “Tobio and Shoyou have volleyball practice, and I have a sports nutrition lecture in 15 minutes.”  Yachi slings the strap of her back around her shoulder and gives the duo a pointed look with a hand on her hips, “Don’t we, guys?”

The two boys mentioned stare at her, eyebrows raised in confusion before recognition flashes in Hinata’s eyes. “Oh! Right..!” Following suit, the ginger packs his singular textbook in his alarmingly empty-looking bag. He throws Kageyama a light punch to the shoulder before the raven-haired boy even begins to move.

“What are you talking about-“ Kageyama starts, being pulled by his shirt by his boyfriend.

“Sorry, Tadashi. I would love to stay and study- well, just kidding I wouldn’t. But it’s the thought that counts.” Hinata gives the confused brunet a wink and another hard tug at Kageyama as he walks towards the exit his boyfriend in tow.

“Good luck studying,” Yachi adds as she gives a small wave and follows the pair out the library doors.

Tadashi could only stare dumbfoundedly at his trio of friends, because he knew for a fact that volleyball practices were every other day, and Hinata and Kageyama had practice yesterday.  He also knew that Yachi had sports nutrition last semester, and all students had adapted to a new schedule three days ago.  What the hell?

“I think I scared them off.” Tsukishima says, taking Hinata’s seat across from the brunet.

Yamaguchi lets out a laugh, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly, “Sorry, they aren’t usually like… that. I swear we’re more normal than you think.”

Tsukishima raises an eyebrow towards him, a side of his mouth pulled upwards into a questioning smirk.

“Anyway,” Yamaguchi prompts, “What’d you want to talk about?”

Tsukishima shifts in his seat, slowly sliding the packet he was holding in his hands earlier over to Yamaguchi.  Tadashi stares at it before his eyes come back up to the blond.

“It’s my first assignment in Photography. The professor said I have to capture moments of happiness.  And since I can’t really take pictures of myself…” Tsukishima’s face seems to gain more redness of color as the longer he talks.  Yamaguchi can only stare back, biting back an excited smile. “I was wondering if you’d like to be my subject..?”

Shyness definitely does not suit Tsukishima Kei.  On the blond’s face, bashfulness was definitely foreign, and Yamaguchi couldn’t love the look even more.  The brunet flashes the biggest smile, his cheeks dusted in a light pink color as well, “Of course, Tsukki!”

Tsukishima looks at him through his black frames, his tone cautious, “Are you sure?  It’s a lot of work and pressure, all of a sudden-”

“You don’t need to ask me twice,” Yamaguchi cuts him off, feeling elated over the fact that out of all people, Tsukishima chose him for his project.  Knowing how serious the other took his studies and grades, it almost felt like an honor to be chosen. He slides the packet back over to the boy in front of him, the smile never once leaving his face, “I’m excited, actually.  I’ve never done something like this before.” He tilts his head to the side, “What would you like me to do?”

Tsukishima clears his throat, “...I’m not really sure, to be honest.  I have the end of the month to finish this, so I’m hoping that inspiration strikes sometime between now and then.”

Yamaguchi chuckles, knowing the feeling all too well.  He thinks that every time he’s assigned a writing prompt, and somehow always waits until the last week to even attempt to write something decent.

“I left the contract you’re supposed to sign at home though,” the blond says, silently reprimanding himself for being forgetful, “Do you mind coming over for it?”

Yamaguchi shakes his head, “Not at all.” He’s already packing up his items, shoving notebooks and pens in his bag as Tsukishima does the same.  The blond looks relieved when he figures out all his books actually _fit_ into his backpack, and gives a small huff as he pulls the straps over his shoulders.

“Ready?” Yamaguchi asks, the weight of his backpack pulling on his shoulders as well. Tsukishima hums, and without another word, the two make their way out the library and endure the long walk home together.

* * *

 

Yamaguchi realizes that Tsukishima’s apartment looks a lot more welcoming in the daylight than it does in the middle of the night without any lights.  He finds himself staring at the walls and decorations that hang from it once stepping through the door.

He nearly misses it when Tsukishima says “Make yourself at home.”

“Ah..!  Thanks.” He replies quickly, stepping out of his shoes and dropping his bag on the couch.  His eyes wander to the framed photos on the walls, and he wonders how he could have missed it the last time he was here.  Granted, he was in the middle of helping with his friend over a crisis.  Yamaguchi’s gaze shifts from one frame to the next, focusing on one photo of the night sky constellations then another of a bouquet of flowers.

He glances over the blond, who was busy shuffling through papers on the kitchen counter for the contract, “Did you take these pictures yourself, Tsukki?”

Tsukishima finds what he’s looking for, pulling out the packet of papers before turning back to Yamaguchi.  His eyes follows the brunet's gaze, scoffing and shaking his head.  ‘“Definitely not.  It would be pretty conceited of me to hang my own photos, wouldn’t it?”

Yamaguchi laughs, “Yeah, I guess so.” The blond joins him on the couch, with a paper and pen in hand.  Tadashi skims over the contract, only looking for the _signature of subject_ before scribbling his name on the line.

His friend takes back the papers with a small “thanks” and careful fingers as he places the packet on the coffee table in front of them both.

“I forgot to ask about this the other day,” Yamaguchi starts, “But what made you pick Photography as a new major?”

Tsukishima’s brows furrow, his hands going to his chin as he reflects on the question.  “I guess I’ve always been interested in it.”  He looks at the photos framed and hanging on the wall, “I’m not the best at expressing my emotions, through words or expressions.  I think Photography lets me do that.”

Yamaguchi hums, a light smile on his lips as he sits back in the couch, “Mm. Isn’t it like what they always say?”

The blond turns towards him with a questioning look.

“A picture is worth a thousand words?” Yamaguchi tries with a teasing smirk.

Tsukishima rolls his eyes, giving out the tiniest smile and chuckle that Yamaguchi was paying too close attention to miss.

* * *

 

It was a couple days after Yamaguchi agreed to be the subject for Tsukishima’s assignment that he got a text from the boy.  He was in the middle of yet another tedious lecture on the history of Japanese book publication, but was more than happy to avert his attention to his phone.

Tsukki~ (1:09PM): _Are you free right now?_

Yamaguchi bites his lip, sparing a glance up at the professor, who was too busy droning on to be bothered to look at him at the third row from the top.

(1:10PM): _More or less, yeah_

_whats up tsukki?? (｀・ω・´)_

Tsukki~ (1:11PM): _….okay._

_Would you mind meeting up with me later to work on my assignment?_

(1:11PM): _i’d be happy to!! where??_

Tsukki~ (1:12PM): _Where ever you usually spend your free time at._

(1:12PM): _well that’s usually at home so… (Ｔ▽Ｔ)_

Tsukki~ (1:13PM): _Oh. Right._

_Anywhere else you can think of?_

Yamaguchi ponders this for a moment, continuing to gnaw on his lip as he thinks about the all the self indulgent places he visits.

(1:14PM): _besides the Crow's Nest lol, the bookstore is super nice!_

Tsukki~ (1:15PM): _The one downtown?_

(1:15PM): _yeah!!_

Tsukki~ (1:17PM): _Could we meet there in a bit then?_

(1:19PM): _I’m actually in a class right now (;´д｀)_

_But I’m out at 2, so I could get there around 15 after!_

Tsukki~ (1:22PM): _Yamaguchi. Pay attention in class._

_I’ll see you there._

Yamaguchi locks his phone with a satisfying click, biting back a smile as he slips the device back into his pocket.  If he gets to spend time with Tsukishima later, 45 minutes of a lecture doesn’t sound too bad, he guesses.

* * *

 

When he walks through the creaky, wooden doors of his favorite bookstore an hour later, he’s embraced by the warm heat inside the building and comforting smell of vintage books on the shelves lining the walls.  He gives a small smile and wave towards the shop’s cashier, a timid looking man with long brown hair tied up in a messy bun.

“Hey, Asahi.”

The employee gives him a nod, “Nice to see you, Yamaguchi.”

The brunet sighs, a pleasant expression on his face as he looks around the shop to refamiliarize himself.  “It’s seriously been too long since I’ve been here.”

Asahi makes a small sound of agreement, scribbling a couple words on the chart he had in front of him.  “Did you need something?”

“Ah, nothing really.” Yamaguchi continues to peer around the shop, trying to spot a particular brightly colored head of hair. “I’m meeting up with a friend here.  Have you seen him?”

The man behind the counter looks up from his work, giving Yamaguchi a small head tilt.

“Tall, pretty pale, black glasses, blondie?”

“Oh, that guy,” Asahi points towards the stairs in the back end of the shop. “He asked for a quiet place, so I told up to go up to the second floor.”

Yamaguchi gives the counter a light pat as he passes it, “Thanks.”

The employee hums, turning back to his work, “Tell me if you need anything..!”

Yamaguchi’s greeted with possibly the best sight he’s ever seen in his entire life when he climbs the wooden stairs to the second floor.  He finds Tsukishima holding his camera up to his face, clicking away at the shelves of books in front of him.  The blond was wearing a casual pull over hoodie, jeans, and sneakers combination, but honestly, when he pulled back from the camera to look at Yamaguchi, he swears he’s never seen a sight more beautiful.

Tsukishima looks so.. natural in this environment.  Unlike the stressed, tired expression Yamaguchi always saw, his features were now relaxed and peaceful.  The fact that his friend was finally pursuing a career that he loved meant more to Tadashi than any appearance, even if Tsukishima _did_ look hot in those ripped jeans.

“Hey..!” he squeaks out, the blood rushing to his face once his friends gives him a head nod in return.

“Hey.”

“Sorry to keep you waiting.”

“It’s fine, I just got here a couple minutes ago.” Tsukishima looks down at his camera, pressing buttons on it that Yamaguchi wouldn’t even want to attempt to decipher. Instead, the brunet makes his way over to the beanbags on the floor by the window in the corner, seating himself unceremoniously as he drops his backpack on the floor.

Tsukishima blinks at him from his spot in the middle of the room.

“Well? Come sit,” Yamaguchi gives the bean bag chair next to him a light kick, his eyes and smile playful.

The blond does as he says, although hesitant as he sinks down into the soft cushioned seat.  He looks entirely out of place yet completely belonging at the same time, with his professional-looking camera and glasses and dressed-down outfit.

“So,” Yamaguchi starts, turning sideways in his bean bag chair to properly face the other, “How are we gonna do this?”

Tsukishima clears his throat, “Well, the assignment is to capture a moment of pure happiness.”

Yamaguchi nods.

“I was thinking you could go about your day and be happy, I guess.”

“That’s it?”

“Yeah.”

“So like, just relax?”

“....yeah.” Tsukishima seems doubtful himself, the determined face he has slowly changing to self-doubt the more Yamaguchi questions him.

The brunet shrugs, “Well, that seems easy enough.” He unzips his backpack, pulling out a book thick enough to rival Tsukishima’s old Physics textbook.  “I’m in the middle of reading this right now.”

“For class?”

Yamaguchi shakes his head, “For fun.”

Tsukishima’s eyes widen a fraction, eyeing the size of a book meant to be for someone’s enjoyment. “Really?”

“Yup.” Tadashi grins, leaning farther back in his chair and stretching out his legs across the floor.  He starts to read the first few lines of the page he left off on last, willing every fiber in his being not to be hyper aware of Tsukishima’s presence next to him.

The other boy was still clicking away on his camera, pointing it towards anything noticeable within the small second floor of a vintage book store.  One moment he was taking pictures of the paintings lining the walls, then of the small trinkets decorating the bookshelves in the next.

It was after a couple minutes of him sifting through photos on the device’s screen that he spoke up, “What do you find enticing about this place?”

Yamaguchi glances up from his book, his lip curling to the side as he takes a moment to think about his response.  “Everything, really.”

When Tsukishima blinks at him, Tadashi finds it in himself to elaborate more, “It’s so warm and cozy in here all the time, and it’s pretty quiet because it’s not one of the more modern bookstores in town.  But, I don’t know, I find the vintage bookshelves and the torn up rugs and the yellow lighting endearing in a way.  This place has some sort of relaxing, comforting environment around it.”

His eyes dart around the room at all the objects he mentions, his heart growing increasingly fond of the aged bookstore the more he talks about it.  He rarely takes time to appreciate all the qualities he admires in the shop, but during moments like this, he couldn’t think of a better place to spend during his spare time.

“Hm,” Tsukishima nods, rubbing his chin pensively as he surveys their surroundings.  His eyes looked very scrutinizing before, seeming to pick out even the smallest details, but even more so now.  Being enveloped in his new Photography major, Yamaguchi finds himself smiling fondly at the other.

After a couple moments of silence between the pair, Yamaguchi decides the book in his hands needed the attention it deserved, and delved back into the fantasy world of wizards and dragons, unaware of the clicking of the camera around him.

* * *

 

The next time they meet, a certain red speedster’s show was playing on TV on the promised Tuesday at 7PM.  Both boys were situated in the same spots they were previously, in front of the television and yet another Chinese food dinner carefully delivered by Nishinoya.  This time, the small man had gotten generous tips from both boys for carrying up their order four flights of stairs.

Tsukishima had brought over his camera, with the hope of getting the smallest bit of work done on his assignment just in case the occasion arises, but Yamaguchi predicts the device won’t make a move from its spot on the table.

Tsukishima’s seat getting embedded into the cushion couch where he sits next to the brunet, and Tadashi finds himself not minding in the slightest. He lightly knocks their knees together as the trademark logo and music start up on the screen, an excited grin plastered on his face.  The blond responds with a knee nudge of his own, handing Yamaguchi his signature fried rice chicken and broccoli dinner.

He accepts it graciously, already eating it by the spoonfuls before the beginning narration ends.  The two watch the show in comfortable silence, only making sly remarks whenever they were bothered to stop the steady flow of food into their mouths.

“Did he just do that? Literally _phase_ through an entire building?”  Yamaguchi asks incredulously, swiftly wiping his mouth with a napkin.

Tsukishima was a fast eater, already finished with his meal and holding his camera in his hand.  His fingers were already poised and ready to take a photo at any moment if need be, but his attention still trained on the TV screen. “Yeah.”

“Is that even possible?”

“Theoretically, yes.” Tsukishima nods, seeming to think about this the matter than hypothetically.  Yamaguchi couldn’t expect less from a ex-Physics major. “I don’t think anything in today’s world would vibrate at nearly enough frequency to do it though.”

“True.” Yamaguchi hums, tilting his head from side to side. “What if we had superpowers?”

“People would definitely look at me differently if I ran around the city with a red tight suit.” Tsukishima deadpans.

His laugh left him before he could stop it, making Tsukishima tear his eyes away from the screen to look at Yamaguchi.  The brunet couldn’t help himself and let his giggles flow freely, but the dumbstruck expression on the blond’s face made it all worth it.

If he would’ve stopped in that moment, he probably would’ve saved himself a lifetime of embarrassment when he let out an accidental snort.   _A snort.  God dammit, Tadashi._  It seems like the bad habit during preschool continued to stick with him even until now, when he was sitting in front of the person he had been pining over for months.

He closes his eyes, hoping to any gods out there that maybe, _just maybe,_ the sound was small enough to go unheard.  The silence between them and the sound of the camera shutter going off denied his theory.  When his reopens his eyes, he sees his friend's smile pulling on his lips becoming more prominent the more Yamaguchi’s face turns red.

Screw the embarrassment, he takes back anything he’s ever said just moments ago.  The playful, lively eyes that Tsukishima was looking at him with was one of the best expressions Tadashi thinks he’s ever seen.

He swears he could hear the tiniest sound of a chuckle as Tsukishima avoids Yamaguchi’s gaze. Either being sympathetic to Yamaguchi or trying to cover up his obvious smile, Tsukishima covers his mouth with the back of his hand as he lets out a laugh so beautiful Yamaguchi could savor it forever.

The brunet’s cheeks pull back, his smile only growing wider the longer he looks at his friend.  “Bad habit, sorry.”

Tsukishima shakes his head, his laughter fading into a grin, “Don’t be. That was...cute.”

As if going against the laws of human anatomy, Yamaguchi could feel the burning in his cheeks intensify at Tsukishima’s words.  Did he just all him _cute?_ That’s like, totally flirting, right? How could it not be? But then again, it could be Tsukishima being Tsukishima.  He didn't seem like the type of person to use words lightly though.

“If you get any redder, you’d literally look like the Flash, Yamaguchi.”

The brunet’s eyes widen, his heartbeat picking up the more he continues to stare into golden eyes.  The laughter between them fades, the lively eyes of Tsukishima slowly becoming lidded.  Yamaguchi couldn’t quite place the emotion behind them, but he couldn’t spare enough willpower to think about it as the blond leaned closer towards him.  He had half the mind to instinctively pull back, but his heart ramming against his chest pushed him in the other direction.

He found his body moving forward as well, slowly enough to brush it off if the blond turned away from him, but also enough to hint at something else.  He could feel his fingertips brushing against cold hands on the couch, but couldn’t spare enough attention to look down.  Instead, his focus was entirely on the pair of lips parted in front of him.

Yamaguchi only closed his eyes when he saw the other do so, continuing to lean forward.  He could feel the light breath of air coming from Tsukishima’s lips ghosting his, imagining them being close enough to touch with one simple push forward.  He swears he could feel their lips brush against each other’s in the slightest, tiniest bit before a loud _ding!_ nearly sent him falling out of the couch with a heart attack.

As if his heart wasn’t beating fast enough, his phone decided to send him into cardiac arrest with the notification of a text message.  He decides to angrily message back whoever thought texting someone during possibly one of the best moments of their college career was a good idea.  For now though, his attention reeled back towards Tsukishima, who shifted in his seat on the couch.

Tsukishima adjusted his glasses, his hand effectively covering the blush Yamaguchi knew was on his face.  He coughs once, standing awkwardly as he proceeds to somewhat tidy up the small mess they’ve made with the food on Yamaguchi’s coffee table.  “I should get going.  I have a class at seven in the morning.”

Tadashi could feel his heart sinking at the comment, his mind immediately going back to the idea of blaming it all on his _stupid phone that decided to ruin moments for him_.

“Jesus, that shouldn’t even be legal.”  He emphasizes with Tsukishima as he gets up from his seat to walk his friend to the door.  It was when the two were standing by the doorframe awkwardly, staring at everything but each other’s eyes when he realized how awkward they look.

“See you around?” Tsukishima offers, digging his own apartment keys out from his pocket.

“Yeah, definitely.” Yamaguchi agrees, giving him a small grin as he waves from the short distance between their two doors.

“Good night, Yamaguchi.”

“Night, Tsukki.”

He pulls up the text message on his phone as soon as he’s back inside, his fingers probably pressing on the screen with more force than necessary.  His anger dissipates the tiniest bit when he sees Hinata’s name on the screen, letting out an exasperated sigh.

Hinatatas (7:55PM): _tadashi!!!! i need ur help!! kageyama and i are having a fight about whether drinking milk at this point will help me grow_

(7:55PM): _i was complainin bout how i was too short to reach the cabinets in the dorm_

(7:55PM): _i think it’s all genetic, milk doesnt have anything to do with height!!! i grew like 4 inches from high school and i didn’t drink milk then!!!!_

(7:56PM): _kageyama says he drinks milk everyday >:(((( prove him he’s wrong _

Yamaguchi quickly types a reply back, fingers moving expertly over the keyboard.

(8:10PM) _idk, ive been drinking milk since i was a kid too?? maybe it’s not too late, u can start drinking it now_

(8:10PM) _but!! I was with tsukki just a while ago, we were getting so close :(((_

(8:11PM) _then ur text about MILK interrupted our near kiss_

Hinatatas (8:15PM): _oh my god!! Im soooo sorry >< i totally didn’t mean it!! how close?? DID U MAKE OUT?? TADASHI! _

(8:15PM): _wait talk in our group chat w hitoka_

Group Message: _fuckkin nerds_

Hinatatas (8:17PM): _hitoka!! our boi almost kissed his crush!!_

Yams (8:18PM): _until ginger over here texted us, nearly sending tsukki and i into cardiac arrest_

HIToka (8:19PM): _shoyou!!! dont be a cockblock_

Hinatatas (8:19PM): _It wasn’t on purpose!!!!_

HIToka (8:20PM): _Im proud of u anyway tadashi, this means he’s definitely into u_

Yams (8:24PM): _(ﾉ≧ڡ≦) im soooo head over heels_

Yams (8:24PM): _btw hitoka tell shoyou he needs to drink milk to grow taller_

HIToka (8:25PM): _dont be in denial, drink the milk shoyou_

Hinatatas (8:27PM): _not u too!! D:_

Yamaguchi goes to sleep that night with a smile on his face and renewed hope of what the future holds for him and a particular tall blond.

* * *

 

Life tends to screw Yamaguchi over in a multitude of ways.  He isn’t surprised at his point, with the amount of bad luck he’s suffered through, but somehow, Tsukishima’s new schedule that accommodated his new photography classes entirely unsynced itself from Yamaguchi’s.  When the brunet sent a sad smiley face to him showing his discomfort, the other boy responded with “ _Sorry, the guidance office said things will settle down after the first month of classes._ ”

Yamaguchi sinks deeper into his bed, curling up underneath his blanket as he sulks silently to himself.  Out of all days, Valentine’s Day was the _one_ day both of their schedules were so mismatched that they didn’t have time to pass each other on campus.  He knew he wouldn’t have had the courage to say anything other than the usual, “Hey, Tsukki!” to the other boy today anyway, but spending today alone wasn’t on his list of preferences.  He tries to himself that the two just saw each other less than 24 hours ago to watch the Flash together, but the emptiness in his chest was still prominent.

Hinata, Kageyama, Yachi, and Kiyoko were all kind enough to ask him to spend the day with them, but he felt rude intruding on their couple’s day.  They all insisted anyway, being the kind people Yamaguchi loved them for, but he politely declined.

He was just about to start his Netflix binge on romance movies for the night (because _maybe_ he could vicariously live through the main character’s love life), until a text from his phone screen drew his attention.

Tsukki~ (10:47PM): _Hey.  Sorry, I just got out of class. Going to extra night lectures to catch up on an entirely new major was not as pleasant as the office made it out to be._

Yamaguchi's heart skips a beat upon seeing the message sent from "Tsukki~" on his screen, the memory of last night flashing in his head. His face heats up remembering the sensation of Tsukishima's breath on his lips, and how they were so so close to each other. One more measly move forward and Tadashi would definitely be a happier man tonight. Instead, he sinks deeper into the warm embrace of his bed, still feeling the burning on his cheeks.

He smiles down fondly at his screen, his attention drawn back to his friend's message. Knowing all too well that Tsukishima was loving and thriving in his new major despite the light complaints, he quickly types a response back.

(10:48PM): _d( >_< )  ugh that sounds like the worst, my heart goes out to u _

_If youre on ur way home right now, look up!! theres a full moon tonight i heard!!_

Tsukki~ (10:49PM): _You heard? Didn’t you look outside?_

(10:49PM): _been too busy in laying in bed lol_ （´ ∀   `)

Tsukki~ (11:03PM): It looks nice. Come outside to look. I’m sitting at the benches in front of our building.

The text sent Yamaguchi into overdrive, making his pounce from his bed. He looked down at his outfit, the glaring orange of his french fries covered pajama pants staring back at him. Life hasn’t given him a break, especially when it comes to extremely bad luck during the most dire circumstances. _It’s dark enough that the orange isn’t too visible_ , Yamaguchi decides, and puts the first hoodie he finds on his disappearing clean pile of laundry.

As if it couldn’t get any worse, it was the hoodie that had TACOS scrawled on the front, yet another gag gift Hinata got him for a birthday present.   _Fuck it, he’s seen me in my boxers,_ which Tadashi realizes, ironically also a gift from Hinata.

With that final thought, he quickly makes his way out of his apartment, walking a little faster with a lighter jump in his step down the stairs.  He turns his head side to side in search of a tall head of blond hair, and finds his friend sitting where he mentioned, at the benches under the row of trees on the path to the apartment.

He was harshly reminded that it was in fact, still winter, when a frigid breeze blows by.  He pulls his arms closer in on himself, sticking his hands in his hoodie pocket as he approaches Tsukishima on the bench.  He offers a smile, taking a seat next to him.

The taller boy seemed warm enough, donning his heavy winter coat and gloves.  He had his camera raised to take pictures of the full moon, but Yamaguchi doubts the lens would really capture the pure beauty of the night sky.

“You were right.”

Tsukishima lowers his camera, looking over at Yamaguchi.

“The moon.  It’s really nice out tonight.” Yamaguchi clarifies, not knowing of the red on his face could be perceived as blush or as a response to the cold.  He wills himself not to look at Tsukishima though, god knows he doesn’t need the other boy to get a better view of his flushed face, and continues to stare up at the sky as he continues to hear the camera shutter go off.

“I’ve always been fascinated with the moon.”

When Yamaguchi finally turns his head, he sees Tsukishima lowering his camera and packing it away in the small bag he laid out next to them on the bench.  “Really?”

“Yeah,” Tsukishima confesses, “I thought about being an astrology major once, but realized I would be studying something I could never touch for the rest of my life.  Now I just look and admire.”

Yamaguchi opens his mouth to answer, a chilly wind bringing on a shiver instead.  He nods, curling in himself by hugging his legs as he tries his best not to freeze in the cold on Valentine’s Day.  The sight of Tsukishima warms him up a bit though, as he feels his heartbeat picking up every time his eyes glanced over the other.

Under the soft moonlight, Tsukishima looked unearthly.  His light blond hair seemed to glow and sparkle with every slight movement he made, while his pale skin reflected all the light in just the right ways.  Even with a pink nose and all other body parts besides his face were sealed up in winter clothing, Tadashi couldn’t help but feel his heart swell at the sight of him.

“Aren’t you cold?” asks the blond, raising a concerned brow at Yamaguchi’s entirely opposite position.  He was wrapped up in a ball, the thin fabric of his clothes blowing with the wind as he shook.

Yamaguchi gives his feeble attempt at a shrug, sporting a sheepish grin as Tsukishima clicks his tongue.  The blond reaches up to his own earmuffs, slowly taking them off.  Yamaguchi watches with wide eyes as the other reaches over, lightly placing the protective covers over his ears.

His sheepish grin grows as he feels his face get hotter, “Thanks, Tsukki.”

Tsukishima gives him a hum, his gloved hands still in contact with Yamaguchi’s hair.  Brown eyes meet golden, and Yamaguchi nearly melts at the warm, soft expression Tsukishima was giving him.  The memory of the night before comes into his mind, when they were even closer together than this and their breaths mixing with one another, and he’s afraid his erratic heartbeat is loud enough for the other to hear.

He swallows, trying to calm himself the longer Tsukishima’s hands are on him.  The gloved hand travels from his hair to his face, and Tadashi can only blink helplessly as the blond caresses his cheek.  He wills himself to do _something, anything_ in response, but he finds himself getting lost in the earnest eyes that were staring back.

Tentatively, Yamaguchi moves himself closer to the other on the bench, leaning towards Tsukishima’s touch.  Ever so slowly, the blond does the same, his face getting dangerously close to Yamaguchi’s own.  He could feel the warm breath of the other , all the while keeping his gaze locked on the pair of eyes in front of him.

The world around them slows down, the chilling cold winds becoming the least of his worries as Tsukishima lightly pulls Yamaguchi’s face closer to his.  Instinctively, Yamaguchi closes his eyes, his lips parted in anticipation for what’s coming next.  As if in slow motion, he could feel the soft press of warm lips against his own as the warm caress of his cheek pulls him forward, getting so close to Tsukishima that he could feel the warmth radiating from them both.

He melts and kisses back as if he’s been waiting his whole life to do. Tentatively, Yamaguchi brings a cold hand up to Tsukishima’s chest, the soft fabric of his coat giving a slight bounce back to his touch.  The blond reciprocates his actions, moving his lips in a way that makes Tadashi  want to have forever connected to his.

They pull apart with a satisfying _smack,_ both boys looking at each other with lidded, lustful eyes.  His face grows hot under Tsukishima’s gaze, and he gives the best smile he could muster with his short-circuited mind.

“That…” Yamaguchi attempts, words fleeing him when he needed them most.

“That was for yesterday.” Tsukishima mutters, a light shade of red making its way to his pale cheeks as well, “We were interrupted, so.”

Yamaguchi lets out an airy laugh, feeling light as he nods happily.  His joyful mood was temporarily interrupted as another cold breeze blows by them, letting out a shiver as he reflexively moves closer towards Tsukishima.  To his delight, the blond simply wraps an arm around his waist as he pulls them both up from the bench.

“Let’s get, it’s entirely too cold out here.”

Before Yamaguchi could reply, he was already being led forward by the other.  He couldn’t help himself, and tilts his head to rest on Tsukishima’s shoulder.  It wasn’t much of a stretch, thanks to the few centimeters in height the taller boy had on him, and he wasn’t any more glad about his shortness in comparison at this moment in time.

When they reach the warm embrace of the heat in their apartment building, it took everything in Tadashi’s willpower not to laugh at Tsukishima’s struggle to walk up the four flights of stairs in his borderline marshmallow looking jacket.  Yamaguchi swears he sees a light shine of sweat on the other’s pale forehead as they make their way up to their floor, and the amusement on his face fails to hide itself.

Within its last few hours, his day was officially made by the one person he’s been pining over for god knows how long.  His mood is light and carefree as they reach the familiar parting place in the hall between each other’s doors.  Yamaguchi offers Tsukishima a smile, in which he gets one in response, and he considers never being so lucky in his life.

“See you, Tsukki.” he says, not afraid to hide the gigglish tone in his voice.

“Night, Yamaguchi.” Tsukishima responds, unlocking his door.  Yamaguchi mirrors his actions, sad to part ways with the other boy but grateful to be back in the comforts of his home.  Before he could close the door, the blond speaks up again.  “Happy Valentine’s day.”

His eyes shoot up to stare widely at the boy across from the hall, his cheeks burning at his words.  “H-happy Valentine’s day..!” he stutters back, not missing the subtle smirk and chuckle he got back in return.  Yamaguchi closes his door as soft as he can in the middle of the night to cover the redness that was threatening to take over his face.

With his back against the wooden door, he clutches at his chest, attempting to calm down his fast paced heart.  Did that really just happen?  His heart ramming against his chest was a clear indication that this was, actually real, and in fact, not a hallucinated dream.  Yamaguchi lets himself smile the widest he’s ever think he’s smiled, his mind feeling like it was floating on clouds without a trouble in the world.

Within the emptiness of his apartment, Yamaguchi thinks he’s never felt his heart more full, knowing that the boy living across from him went from complete strangers to potential lovers with mutual feelings for one another.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> lets just pretend the flash premiere days and valentines day were back to back, even tho both are on tuesdays this year lol.  
> Tell me what you think about this chapter/pacing/characterization etc, I would love to hear your thoughts!! Thanks again xx

**Author's Note:**

> I'm a sucker for college AUs, tsukkiyama, and the fact that Yama most definitely uses more emoticons than necessary when typing.
> 
> If you want to scream about any of those things with me, check out my [ twitter](https://twitter.com/yumikocos)


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